Do you work from home? Frequently, you can qualify for home office deductions offsetting taxable income from a sole proprietorship or other small business. However, if you're not careful, one misstep can cost you your deduction.
​
Rules around home office deductions
Generally, you may claim home office expenses only if part of your home is used regularly and exclusively as either:

• Your principal place of business; or
• A place to meet or deal with customers, clients or patients in the normal course of business.

Under the latest rules, deductions have been extended to business people like landscapers and painters who perform administrative duties at home while providing services at multiple locations.

Keep in mind that recent tax legislation eliminated the deduction for any miscellaneous expenses, such as unreimbursed employee business expenses, until 2026. That means employees can no longer deduct home office expenses if their offices are used for the employer's convenience.

If you qualify
You can deduct expenses directly attributable to the home office (e.g., business supplies) plus a portion of indirect expenses (e.g., utilities and depreciation) based on the percentage of business use.

For instance, if a room used as an office makes up 10 percent of the home and you end up with $10,000 in indirect expenses, you can deduct $1,000. Alternatively, you may claim a simplified deduction of $5 per square foot of office space, up to a maximum of $1,500.

Don't get tripped up by "regular and exclusive"
The sticking point may be the requirement for business use to be “regular and exclusive.” In other words, if you use a room or a portion of a room for your business, you can't use the same area for personal purposes. Although the IRS doesn't expressly require physical separation of a business part of a room, that certainly bolsters your position.

Suppose you use a computer in your home office both for business and personally. Technically, this taints your deduction because your business use is no longer exclusive. To be on the safe side, you might acquire another device for personal use and use the computer strictly for business.
​
Questions about claiming the home office deduction? Call us and we can help you.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Are you sending your kids to summer camp while you and your spouse work? Not only will your kids enjoy it, you will also when you see the potential tax break. If certain requirements are met, the cost of day camp qualifies for the Child and Dependent Care Credit.

How to take advantage of this summertime tax break

The Child and Dependent Care Credit may be claimed for the expense of caring for children under age 13, as long as you (and your spouse, if married) are "gainfully employed."

For taxpayers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) above $43,000, the credit equals 20 percent of the qualified expenses. This percentage applies to the first $3,000 of qualified expenses for one child and $6,000 for two or more children. For example, for a couple with an AGI of $150,000 and two young children, the maximum credit is $1,200.

Consider these rules if you're hoping to take advantage of the credit when your kids go off to summer camp:

• The camp can be a specialty camp devoted exclusively to athletics, academics or some other pursuit.

• If the camp requires payment for transporting your children back and forth, the cost qualifies for the credit. But you get no benefit from personal driving or carpooling.

• You can't count the cost of special uniforms or equipment toward the credit.

• The credit is only available for day camp — not overnight camp.

Tax break alternative: If summer camp's not happening, you may consider having your child do some summer work at your business, thereby qualifying for other tax breaks.

Keep in mind that proper record keeping is essential. Make sure you obtain the camp's information (including official name, address and tax ID number) to use for your 2018 tax return.
​
"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

While giving gifts to charity is usually a reward on its own, donors could often also expect to get a tax deduction. Because of recent tax law changes, that may not be the case this year, unless you take some extra planning steps.

Tax breaks for donating still exist

As before, charitable deductions are only available when you itemize your tax deductions (as opposed to claiming the standard deduction). However, even if you itemized in the past, you may decide not to under current law.

Certain itemized deductions have been reduced or eliminated, while the standard deduction has essentially been doubled to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married joint filers. This means you could donate $10,000 to charity this year without realizing a charitable deduction, if you don't have other itemizable deductions. The changes are effective for 2018 through 2025.

But don't give up on donation tax benefits just yet. Depending on your situation, you might boost charitable donations to the point where you will still itemize deductions. Consider these ideas:

·         Give away appreciated property. If you've owned the property longer than a year, you can deduct its full current value — instead of your cost — without ever paying any tax on the appreciation.
·         Use a donor-advised fund (DAF). With a DAF, you designate charities that will receive contributions from a general pool. You can deduct your lump-sum donation immediately even though money may be paid out to charities over time.
·         Bunch your donations in years you expect to itemize deductions. Cut back or skip contributions in some years so you can double your donation amounts for other years.
·         Roll over funds from an IRA. If you're age 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 directly from an IRA without any tax consequences. You get no tax deduction, but the distribution isn't taxable either. The payout counts as a required minimum distribution (RMD). In other words, you had to take an RMD anyway, so you may as well give it to charity.

Give us a call if you have questions or would like help with your 2018 charitable giving plan.
​
"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Have you planned a summer outing for your employees? It might be a picnic or barbecue for the Fourth of July. Despite recent tax law changes eliminating most entertainment and meal deductions, your business can still deduct qualified expenses if certain requirements are met. In fact, you might be able to write off the entire cost.

What to expect for 2018

Most entertainment and meal expenses have been repealed, beginning in 2018. In addition, the tax benefits for company-provided eating facilities, like cafeterias or dining rooms, have been reduced. For 2018 through 2025, the deduction for these facilities is cut from 100 percent of the cost to 50 percent, before disappearing completely in 2026. Nonetheless, this remains a tax-free benefit to employees.

Under prior law, you could generally deduct 50 percent of the cost of your company's qualified entertainment and meal expenses. For instance, if you held a business meeting with a client in the afternoon and then treated the client to dinner and drinks at night, the costs were deductible.

Picnics are still deductible

The tax law changes don't affect a special tax law provision that says you can deduct 100 percent of the cost for company picnics and similar gatherings. This provision wasn't affected by the other tax changes in this area. Just remember: To qualify for this deduction, you must invite the entire staff to the picnic. In other words, you can't restrict the outing to a select group.

For instance, suppose a few friends or relatives crash the party. This won't jeopardize the overall deduction, but expenses attributable to those social guests are nondeductible. For instance, if the picnic costs $5,000 for 48 employees and two guests show up, you can deduct $4,800 (96 percent of $5,000).

This is a unique opportunity to take advantage of a tax break while rewarding employees. Book it on your summer schedule. Give us a call if you have questions.
​
"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Maybe you feel the need to brush up on your skills in your particular line of work. One option is to take a refresher course at a local college this summer. What makes it even more enticing? You may be able to deduct the cost as a business expense.

Make sure your class qualifies for a deduction

If you're an employee or self-employed and rack up some business education expenses (like refresher classes), the cost will qualify as an ordinary and necessary business expense only if it passes one of these two tests:

1. The education is required by your employer or by law to keep your current job.
2. The education maintains or improves skills needed in your present work.

However, you can't deduct any of your expenses — even if you meet either one of the two tests stated above — if the class is needed to meet the minimum educational requirements of your current position or it qualifies you for a new trade or business.

The IRS takes a notoriously tough stance on what constitutes a "new trade or business," and the courts usually back it up. For instance, deductions have often been denied in the past for nurses who take courses that might lead toward a career as a physician. Although, if you're merely studying new developments in your chosen field, you should be OK.

A new tax law snag

Previously, unreimbursed employee business expenses, including costs of business education, could be deducted as miscellaneous expenses on your personal tax return. Under new tax laws, deductions for miscellaneous expenses are suspended from 2018 through 2025. That means no write-off is available this year.
​
Luckily, you may be able to arrange for reimbursements from your employer. Reimbursement payments are generally tax-free to recipients and deductible by the employer. If an employer uses a formal educational assistance plan, they can take advantage of a tax exclusion of $5,250 per employee.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

New tax laws lowered the medical deduction threshold for 2018 to 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI) from 10 percent. But that's still a pretty high bar to clear. Fortunately if you scour your records, you may find expenses to put you over the top — including amounts paid for relatives.

Here's what counts for medical deductions

An expense generally counts toward the medical deduction threshold if it involves medical care for yourself or immediate family. Medical care costs can include such things as surgeries to equipment such as wheelchairs.

Medical expenses you've paid on behalf of other family members may also count, but it can get tricky. Typically, you can deduct medical expenses if the relative would have qualified as your dependent.

To have a relative qualify as your dependent, you must provide more than half of the relative's annual support. He or she also can't have more gross income than the $4,050 personal exemption listed in the tax code.

However, their expenses still count toward your medical deduction if they fail the dependency test solely because they had more gross income than the personal exemption limit.

Here's an example: Mom receives $5,000 in annual income from investments, but her rent costs her $12,000 a year. So you help her out by paying the $7,000 difference. Although she wouldn't qualify as your dependent due to the gross income limit, you still provide more than half of her support. If you then pay a $1,000 medical bill for Mom, the expense is added to your total.
​
Double-check to see if you can benefit from this little-known rule for medical expenses. The deduction threshold returns to 10 percent of AGI in 2019, so this may be your last chance. Give us a call for assistance.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Good news if you're selling your home: The home sale exclusion wasn't touched by the massive tax law changes. Arguably one of the biggest tax breaks to be left intact, it allows you to exclude capital gains tax on the first $250,000 in profit from a sale of a home. The maximum home sale exclusion is doubled to $500,000 if you're married and file jointly.

How the exclusion works

The basic requirements are relatively simple. To qualify, you must have owned and used the home as your principal residence at least two of the previous five years. For example, if you live in a home for two years and then move full-time to a vacation home for three years, you can still qualify for the exclusion on the sale of the first home.

Consider these factors if you're determining whether or not you can take advantage of the home sale exclusion:

• The years you own and use your principal home don't have to be consecutive. For instance, you might live in a principal residence for one year, switch to another home in the second year and then move back to the first home in the third year.

• Joint filers can claim the maximum exclusion if either spouse owned the home for at least two out of the last five years leading up to the sale date, both spouses have lived in the home for two out of the five years and neither spouse has elected the exclusion within the last two years. This could be crucial for recently divorced or remarried taxpayers.

• Generally, a short temporary absence won't count against you. A college professor on sabbatical or snowbirds spending winters in Florida should be OK.

• If you split time between two homes during the year, the place where you stay most often is generally treated as the principal residence. Therefore, to claim the exclusion for a home, make sure you reside there more than half the year for at least two years.

You may qualify for a partial exclusion if you sell a home before you meet the two year requirement due to an employment change, health issue or some other unforeseen event. In this case, then exclusion is prorated based on your use.
​
Call us if you have questions about how the home sale exclusion could help you save on your 2018 tax bill.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

   If you have a business trip lined up to a charming city or summer resort, you may end up tacking on a few days of vacation while you're there. And guess what? Most expenses will remain tax-deductible if you stay within the tax law boundaries.

Deducting your business-vacation travel expenses

To claim deductions for domestic business travel, the primary purposes of the trip must be related to business. Simply put, you must clearly spend more time on business than pleasure. Clearly separate your travel days on your calendar between "business days" and "personal days."
When it comes to writing off expenses, start with airfare or other round-trip transportation, lodging and 50 percent of the cost of your meals. Add on incidentals like cab fare to a business meeting. Just remember that costs related to the vacation part of the trip, such as extra hotel nights and sightseeing excursions, are nondeductible.

Here are a few hints for maximizing deductions on the trip:

• Keep a close watch on business versus pleasure days. If the IRS ends up deeming the trip a disguised vacation, no deduction is allowed.
• The 50 percent deduction for business entertainment has been eliminated. The IRS is expected to issue guidance on how this change affects deductions for meals with clients.
• Don't go overboard. You can't deduct expenses that are lavish or extravagant. That means you probably shouldn't splurge on the penthouse suite.
• Keep business travel expense records. Without receipts and other proper records, your deductions are in jeopardy.
• Know the rules around traveling with your spouse. Generally, travel expenses related to a spouse accompanying you on the trip are nondeductible unless there's a valid business reason, such as when your spouse also works for your company.

​
Call us if you're thinking about adding a vacation to a business trip. We can help you understand what will and won't be deductible.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Is your company looking to hire new employees or take on extra help for the summer? If you hire workers from groups of people the government identifies as having major barriers to employment, you may be eligible for tax credits.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is one such credit recently extended through 2019. In addition, long-term unemployment benefit recipients who have been unemployed at least 27 weeks were added to the list of target groups with unemployment barriers.
Currently, the nine eligible groups that are part of the WOTC include:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients
• Unemployed veterans, including disabled veterans
• Designated community residents living in empowerment zones or rural renewal counties
• Food stamp recipients
• Vocational rehabilitation referrals
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients
• Ex-felons
• Long-term unemployment recipients

In most cases, the credit for someone working at least 120 hours during the year equals 25 percent of their first-year wages up to $6,000, for a maximum credit of $1,500. If the employee works at least 400 hours, the credit jumps to 40 percent of first-year wages up to $6,000, for a $2,400 maximum.

The credit amount can be even higher for hiring military veterans. The maximum may reach as high as $9,600 for hiring a veteran with a disability.

Keep in mind the special rules for hiring young people to work during the summer. The WOTC can be claimed for hiring individuals aged 16 or 17 who reside in an empowerment zone or enterprise community. For work performed between May 1 and Sept. 15, the credit generally equals 25 percent of first-year wages up to $3,000, for a maximum of $750. But if the individual works 400 hours or more, the credit increases to 40 percent of first-year wages up to $3,000, for a $1,200 maximum.
​
To qualify for the WOTC, workers must be certified by the appropriate state authority. Give us a call for details

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720

Are you selling real estate or other investment or business property like collectibles or cars? Generally, you'll owe capital gains tax on a gain, but you might arrange a Section 1031 exchange of "like-kind property" instead. If certain requirements are met, tax is deferred until you sell the replacement property … if ever.

But the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) throws a curveball into the mix. Beginning in 2018, the tax benefits of Section 1031 exchanges are eliminated, except for swaps of real estate (transitional rules may apply).

Here's what you should know when swapping

No current tax is due on a Section 1031 exchange of like-kind properties, except for any "boot" received. Boot is the term used to describe the cash used or mortgage debt assumed to even out a real estate swap.

For example, say you exchange a building worth $1 million for one worth $950,000. If the other party kicks in $50,000 in cash, that is the boot you would owe capital gains tax on in the year you received it. Assuming it's a long-term gain, the maximum tax would be $10,000 (20 percent of $50,000).

It's good to keep in mind that the definition of "like-kind" real estate properties is expansive. For instance, you can exchange an apartment building for a warehouse or even vacant land. However, to qualify for tax deferral, you must meet two strict deadlines:

• You must identify or actually receive the replacement property within 45 days of transferring ownership of the relinquished property.
• You must receive the title to the replacement property within 180 days or your tax return due date plus extensions for the tax year of the transfer.

Because it's unusual for two investors to each own property the other wants, like-kind exchanges often involve multiple parties. A qualified intermediary may help facilitate an exchange.
​
Although the TCJA eliminates tax deferral on non-real estate exchanges after 2017, if replacement property was identified before 2018 you can still qualify for a tax-deferred exchange if the title is transferred by this year's deadline. Call us if you have questions.

"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
 
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
 
We are trusted CPA advisors servicing Burr Ridge, Hinsdale, Willowbrook, Darien, Naperville, and all Chicagoland area. 

Do you need assistance with your business and/or personal tax returns? Would you like to have a trusted source for your accounting, allowing you additional time to focus on increasing your business? Do you use QuickBooks, or plan to in the future, for your accounting? We include these in all our service packages, customized to fit your personal or business needs.   
 
We are currently accepting new clients. Your initial consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Our experienced staff is available to help you streamline your accounting, giving you more free time for yourself. Set up an appointment today by calling (630) 320-3720 or email us at [email protected]. 
 
For more free resources, such as Tax Rates, Tax Organizers, and Record Retention Schedules, access our website www.monarchaccountinggroup.com.

Monarch Accounting Group, Inc
145 Tower Drive, Suite 4
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Phone (630) 320-3720
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